Improvement in dredging apparatus



F. C. PRINDLE.

DREDGING-APPARATUS.

Patented June 20, 1876.

ATTOR NEY NITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN O. PRINDLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TOFRANKLIN B. OOLTON, OF DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DREDGING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,055, dated June'20, 1876; application filed May 11, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that'l, FRANKLIN O. PRINDLE, ofPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Dredging Apparatus; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same, referencebeinghad to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view of myapparatus; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.

This invention has relation toimprovements in that class of apparatuswhich is used in connection with dredging machinery for disposing of thematerials taken from the beds of rivers, canals, and harbors, and forutilizing the same for filling in and developing low lands; and thenature of the invention consists in a strong air-tight receiver havinghop pers, closed by suitable plates, through which the dredged materialis deposited in the receiver from the dredge dipper or scoop, whichvessel is provided at one end with an eduction-pipe, and at the otherend with a pipe for the admission 'of air and water, which, when forcedinto the receiver by a suitable pump, will carry the semi-liquid massout of the eduction-pipe through suitable connections to the place ofdeposit. It also consists in combining with the receiver a rotatingshaft provided with agitating-blades, whereby the clods of material willbe broken up and fed toward'the eduction end of the said receiver,thereby greatly facilitating and acceleratingthe discharge of thematerial from the educt-pipe. It also consists in making this shafthollow, and in providing it with perforations in front of the blades;also in connecting the end .of the shaft projecting from the receiverwith the water and air induct, whereby the movement of the dredgedmaterial toward the educt will be greatly facilitated, and its reductionto a semi-fluid condition accelerated, as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.

In the annexed drawing, the letterA designates a strong,preferablycylindrical,metallic vessel or receiver, having uponits uppersurface man -holes provided with hoppers B;

These hoppers are provided with an inner screw-threaded collar, a, intowhich are screwed closing-plates b when a sufficient charge has beendeposited in the said receiver through the hopper, which plates form anair-tight joint with the Said collar. This receiver may be placed upon ascow secured alongside the dredge while being filled, or upon a wharf ordock within reach of the dredge-scoop where the material is to be twicehandled; and it is provided at one end with-a large eductionpipe, G,which is bent in the shape ofthe letter U, and enters the receiver frombelow, so that the natural gravitation of the dredged material willcarry it into the bend. D represents a hollow metallic shaft, having itsbearings in a standard, I), near the eduction-aperture of the receiverat one end, and extending through a stuffing-box, D, at the opposite endof the receiver in a second standard, I), outside of the same. The partof the shaft in closed between the end walls of the receiver is providedwith a number of spaced blades, 0, which are in the nature ofscrew-threads, and

will, when the shaft is rotated, carry the dredged material to theeduct; also, with a number of perforations, i, the object of which willhereinafter appear. Shaft D extends through its bearing in upright 11and connects with an induct-pipe, E, designed to admit the the air andwater into the receiver. This pipe is connected to a pumping and blowingengine in the customary manner; and the operation of my apparatus isthen as follows: A sufficient charge having been introduced into thereceiver the hoppers are then hermetically sealed by plates b, and airand Water introduced into the receiver through pipe E under sufficientpressure to expel the material through eduction-pipe G, and suitableconveyer-pipes connected thereto, and to carry it to the place ofdeposit. The air and water enter into the receiver through perforationsi in the hollow shaft D, also through supplementary pipes F G Hconnected to the air and'water inductionpipe E, and communicating withthe receiver by short pipes e, which are provided with cocks j" for thepurpose of regulating the supply.

These pipes F G H are arranged under and at each side of the receiver,and being. provided with numerous discharge-pipes e the water. and airwill be evenly and regularly distributed over the entire lower part ofthe receiver. During the delivery of air and water to the receivermotion will be imparted to the shaft D,'through the medium of agearwheel, Gr, meshing with other gears or systems of gears operated bya suitable motor; or I may substitute in lieu of the gear a pulley andan endless belt. The rotation of the shaft and screw-blades will breakup the mass in the receiver, and by mixing it with the water rapidlyreduce it to a semi-fluid condition, when it'will readily enter theeduct-pipe 0. It will also carry or feed the material from the inductionto the eduction end of the receiver,

thus greatly facilitating its discharge therefrom.

Air and water may becut off from the hollow shaft D by means of a cock,g, applied to the branch hot the induct-pipe E, communicating with thesaid shaft, and from the lowersystem of distributing-pipes F G H bymeans of a similar cock, 3, applied in induct-pipe E above its uniontherewith. I am thus enabled to regulate the supply of water accordingto the more or less wet condition of the dredged material.

In order to accumulate the force or pressure in the receiver, educt Gwill have a cock, L, which being closed will have the desired effect.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Incombination with the receiver A, having an eduction-1.)ipc, G, and anair and water induction-pipe, E, the rotating shaft D, having feedingand agitating blades a, substantially as specified.

2. The hollow shaft D, having perforations i and agitating-blades 0, incombination with the receiver A, having an educt, O, and a water and airinduction pipe, E, connected to the said shaft, substantially asspecified.

3. A receiver for dredged material, having hoppers for the admission ofthe same, and

provided with detachable closing-plates fOIllling an air-tightjointtherewith, substantially as specified.

4. In combination with the mudreceiver A, having educt- O and air andwater induct E, the pipes F G H connected with the induct andcommunicating withthe receiver by spaced distributing-pipes e,substantially as specified.

5. The process hereindescribed 0t conveying dredged material to a placeof deposit, consisting of placing the said material in an air-tightvessel or receiver, agitating and reducing it to a semi-fluid condition,and forcing it out of the vessel by hydro pneumatic pressure,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

FRAN KLIN 0. remote.

Witnesses ALLEN H. GANGEWER, CHAS. F. VAN HORN.

